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With the delta variant now causing 80% of COVID-19 cases in the United States, vaccine mandates for healthcare workers have become a foregone conclusion. At a recent press conference, the CDC recommended the vaccinated return to wearing masks indoors because of the variant.
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Among many other things, music is a way to process pain. In a similar vein, poetry has been seen as healing and therapeutic for ages. Music and poetry together can speak to the human spirit, even when it is beaten down by a relentless pandemic. At Johns Hopkins Hospital, two colleagues created a collaboration that forged the two arts into a message of resilience and hope.
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The Joint Commission has issued new hospital violence prevention requirements that call for an annual workplace risk assessment, formation of a safety committee, an incident reporting system, and staff education. The requirements will take effect in January 2022.
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Although the pandemic is being bitterly fought in some areas, the efficacy of the vaccines foretells an eventual ending and aftermath that could include many changes to the healthcare system. Will the routine acceptance of violence in healthcare — most of it inflicted by patients and visitors on staff — finally be called to account?
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Often, patients express anger over service experienced, but the perceived slight does not equate to malpractice.
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During the initial phone call or meeting, complainants often provide a compelling narrative, but it falls apart after an independent expert reviews the ED chart. False or misleading statements about what happened in the ED undermine the patient’s credibility. Also, the cost of filing a malpractice lawsuit, and the low odds of prevailing, mean long odds for patients looking to become plaintiffs.
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Recent findings suggest ED providers probably do not treat all patients equally. Researchers want to use these data to determine just how much hidden biases might affect care. Meanwhile, they suggest providers self-screen to improve awareness.
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Engaging with the patient can help ED nurses avoid these risky situations. Nurses can notice subtle signs of escalation, treat with medications when appropriate, offer food, perform regular assessments, and facilitate hygiene. It also is important for ED nurses to demonstrate they did everything in their power to transfer the patient to a higher level of care, if that is what the patient needs.
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Team training — on communication skills, monitoring patients, and sharing information while the patient still is in the ED — can ensure the correct tests are ordered and acted on.
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Considering the effects of stress on well-being, first responders are at higher risk of suffering from emotional fallout from their work. The good news is there are some straightforward solutions that could mitigate the harmful effects of stress and reduce their risk of developing depression, PTSD, or other mental health problems.
